Voice disorders are one of the most common complaints seen in otolaryngology clinics and have led to laryngeal endoscopy becoming an essential aspect of the physical exam. Since its inception in 1834, indirect laryngoscopy has necessitated three essential elements: a ‘scope’ for viewing distal features; a visualization portal; and an illumination source. Each of these elements has seen dramatic improvement, and now endoscopy is a sensitive and reliable means of diagnosis of laryngeal pathology.
Exams are no longer limited to rigid scopes, as fiberoptics allow for flexible transnasal examination of the larynx. Visualization can be completed with the aid of high-definition cameras instead of solely by the naked eye. And finally, endoscopic evaluations can now be illuminated using various light sources including, for example, halogen, xenon, and LED lights. One particular procedure, laryngeal stroboscopy, has been shown to improve diagnostic accuracy by about 17-34%. Stroboscopy gives the illusion of a slowed mucosal wave, thus allowing for a more detailed inspection. In conjunction with a deeper understanding of laryngeal anatomy and physiology, stroboscopy has increased the ability to detect lesions earlier in their presentation. In summation, these advances have given improved, diagnostics, therapeutic, and surgical planning capabilities of otolaryngologists. However, stroboscopy suffers from a high upfront investment cost.
Despite dramatic advances in laryngeal endoscopic techniques, access to exams (in particular stroboscopic exams) has been limited. Most current systems necessitate a ‘tower’ comprised of a desktop computer for file storage and analysis, a light source (e.g., halogen or xenon lamps), a voice-recording system, a strobe system, speakers, and other components. While there are variations of these traditional systems, all typically require the traditional electronics tower, which carries a high cost, may be physically immobile or ponderous (weighing up to 100 lbs), and may be fragile. Thus, conventional equipment needs for laryngeal endoscopic techniques may present a high technical barrier to widespread use.